Development of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) of lopinavir using hot self nano-emulsification (SNE) technique

Optimizing nanomedicine pharmacokinetics using physiologically based pharmacokinetics modelling

The delivery of therapeutic agents is characterized by numerous challenges including poor absorption, low penetration in target tissues and non-specific dissemination in organs, leading to toxicity or poor drug exposure. Several nanomedicine strategies have emerged as an advanced approach to enhance drug delivery and improve the treatment of several diseases. Numerous processes mediate the pharmacokinetics of nanoformulations, with the absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination (ADME) being poorly understood and often differing substantially from traditional formulations. Understanding how nanoformulation composition and physicochemical properties influence drug distribution in the human body is of central importance when developing future treatment strategies. A helpful pharmacological tool to simulate the distribution of nanoformulations is represented by physiologically based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) modelling, which integrates system data describing a population of interest with drug/nanoparticle in vitro data through a mathematical description of ADME. The application of PBPK models for nanomedicine is in its infancy and characterized by several challenges. The integration of property-distribution relationships in PBPK models may benefit nanomedicine research, giving opportunities for innovative development of nanotechnologies. PBPK modelling has the potential to improve our understanding of the mechanisms underpinning nanoformulation disposition and allow for more rapid and accurate determination of their kinetics. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of nanomedicine distribution and the use of PBPK modelling in the characterization of nanoformulations with optimal pharmacokinetics.

Nanotechnology: a magic bullet for HIV AIDS treatment

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has become devastating in last a few years. Nearly 7400 new infection cases are coming every day. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which involves combination of at least three antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, has been used to extend the life span of the HIV-infected patients. HAART has played an important role to reduce mortality rate in the developed countries but in the developing countries condition is still worst with millions of people being infected by this disease. For the improvement of the situation, nanotechnology-based drug system has been explored for the HIV therapeutics. Nanosystems used for HIV therapeutics offer some unique advantage like enhancement of bioavailability, water solubility, stability, and targeting ability of ARV drugs. Main nanotechnology-based systems explored for HIV therapeutics are liposomes, nanoparticles, niosomes, polymeric micelles, and dendrimers. Present manuscript reviews conventional method of HIV therapeutics and recent advances in the field of nanotechnology-based systems for treatment of HIV-AIDS.

A hybrid design to optimize preparation of lopinavir loaded solid lipid nanoparticles and comparative pharmacokinetic evaluation with marketed lopinavir/ritonavir coformulation

Objectives

To prepare stearic acid-based lopinavir (LPV) loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) using a hybrid design and compare in-vivo performance of optimized formulation with marketed LPV/ritonavir (RTV) coformulation.

Methods

LPV SLNs were prepared by hot melt emulsion technique and optimized using Plackett–Burman design and Box–Behnken design. Physical characterization studies were conducted for the optimized SLNs. Comparative oral pharmacokinetic studies and tissue distribution studies of optimized SLNs and LPV/RTV coformulation were done in Wistar rats. In-vitro metabolic stability and intestinal permeability studies for LPV SLNs were undertaken to elucidate the mechanism involved in the pharmacokinetic improvement of LPV.

Key findings

Optimized SLNs exhibited nanometeric size (223 nm) with high entrapment efficiency (83%). In-vitro drug release study of SLNs showed biphasic sustained release behaviour. Significant increase in oral bioavailability of LPV from LPV SLNs (5 folds) and LPV/RTV coformulation (3.7 folds) was observed as compared with free LPV. LPV SLNs showed better tissue distribution of LPV in HIV reservoirs than LPV/RTV coformulation. In-vitro studies demonstrated that SLNs provided metabolic protection of LPV and were endocytosized during absorption.

Conclusions

SLNs enhanced oral bioavailability and improved distribution profile of LPV to HIV reservoirs and hence could be better alternative to LPV/RTV coformulation.

Preparation and evaluation of solid lipid nanoparticles based nanogel for dermal delivery of meloxicam

The aim of the current investigation was to prepare and investigate the potential of solid lipid nanoparticles based gel (SLN-gel) for the dermal delivery of meloxicam (MLX). The meloxicam loaded SLN (MLX-SLN) gel was developed and characterized by means of photon correlation spectroscopy, rheometry, and differential scanning calorimetry to determine the physicochemical properties. The behavior of SLN gel on rat skin was evaluated in vitro using Franz diffusion cells to determine the skin permeation and penetration characteristics, in vivo on mice to determine the skin tolerance by histopathological examinations. The anti-inflammatory potential of SLN gel was assessed by carrageenan induced rat paw edema test. Biophysical studies including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were undertaken to study the interaction between the SLN gel and skin. MLX-SLN gel with nanometric particle size exhibited the controlled release abilities and simultaneously the potential to transport the drug to various skin layers. SLN gel displayed viscoelastic properties with predominantly elastic behavior and exhibited plastic flow. Biophysical studies elucidated the interaction between the SLN gel and stratum corneum (SC) lipids, and proposed the lipid bilayer fluidization as the possible mechanism for the increased penetration of meloxicam into skin. The nano-gel system showed marked anti-inflammatory activity and excellent skin tolerability. It can be concluded that SLN gel may be a promising delivery system for MLX in the treatment of inflammatory disorders.